Megan Rapinoe not done yet as OL Reign reach NWSL playoffs

Rapinoe scored twice in OL Reign’s 3-0 victory at Chicago on Sunday to ensure her Seattle-based squad would compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs.

OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe (15) and midfielder Jessica Fishlock (10) celebrate after Fishlock scores a goal against Chicago Red Stars in the second half at SeatGeek Stadium. | Photo Credit: Daniel Bartel/ Reuters

Megan Rapinoe’s iconic football career isn’t over just yet.

Rapinoe scored twice in OL Reign’s 3-0 victory at Chicago on Sunday to ensure her Seattle-based squad would compete in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) playoffs.

The iconic 38-year-old striker, celebrated for off-field activism as well as her success on the pitch, ended her epic US national team career with 63 goals in 203 caps over more than 17 years last month in a farewell match at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Rapinoe opened the scoring Sunday in the 47th minute and added another goal for OL Reign in the 50th minute as the club finished fourth on the table in the NWSL regular season with nine wins and five drawn from 22 matches, one point behind North Carolina and one ahead of Angel City.

Rapinoe’s OL Reign squad will play host to Angel City on Friday in the first playoff quarter-final match.

If the Reign advance, Rapinoe’s club would earn a semi-final date at top seed San Diego on November 5.

Rapinoe sparked the Americans to crowns at the 2015 and 2019 Women’s World Cups and gold at the 2012 London Olympics, but was a champion for social causes as well.

A vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights who has supported an array of US social justice issues, Rapinoe was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s top civilian award, in 2022 by President Joe Biden.

Rapinoe, FIFA’s 2019 Women’s Player of the Year, also was among the leaders of the US women’s successful fight with US Soccer for equal pay and conditions with the men’s squad.